If I Could Make You Mine
by Dreamers4ever
Summary: Liz is a princess and Max is a commoner. 2/10/02 Chapters 13B and 14 were added.
1. Default Chapter

Part one  
  
Princess Liz hated her life. She was betrothed to marry a prince who she didn't know. The princess believed in falling in love, but was never able to get her parents to think about it.  
  
"Mother, how can you not believe in finding your one true love? Love is the only thing that keeps the world at peace." Liz asked her mom one day, while trying to get her parents to listen to her.  
  
"Elizabeth. I was brought up on believing in having a father set up marriages. I don't care if you don't "love" the prince, you must marry him. Marrying into his family will help our family survive. You will learn to love him."  
  
"But can you see mother? I could never LEARN to love him. That is not what love is about."  
  
"'Elizabeth!! Stop arguing with me, because there is nothing I can do. Now leave me." Liz's mom said, before dismissing her.  
  
The young princess rushed to her room before any of her tears fell. She got halfway before giving up to crying. Collapsing on the hard stone floor of the castle, Liz's body gave in to the hard sobs washing throughout her.  
  
"Princess! Princess Elizabeth!?! Are you ill? What is wrong?" One of the family's many servants asked.  
  
"Nothing! Now, please leave me along!" Liz screamed at all the people hounding her. It was always like this, she was never alone, was never just by herself to think things out. Somebody was always with her. Why anybody would want to live kind of life was beyond her. She had always wanted to go out and see how the peasants lived. Life was probably quite simple.  
  
"Somebody, go get Maria and Alexander and tell them to meet me in my chambers! But only them, I don't want any servants in with them. Tell them I'll be there soon!" Liz shouted her orders to anybody who would listen.  
  
"But, Princess, they aren't allowed in the castle! They are but peasants, people you should not associate with. Your parents have made that forbidden!" One brave servant spoke out.  
  
"I don't care! Get them now! Or I will have you punished for going against my orders! NOW!"  
  
Several of the servants ran off the find the two people. Liz's maid came over to help her clean herself off and get to her chambers to meet Maria and Alexander.  
  
" Come, Miss Elizabeth, if you wish to be presentable for your friends we must go." Isabel said gently and offered her hand to the unhappy young princess. When Liz looked up and reached for Isabella's had, she smiled. Her first smile in a long time. Liz and Isabel walked to her room, washed her face, fixed her make-up and changed her dress into something more suitable. A few minutes later Maria and Alexander walked through her door. Liz rushed over to them and nearly threw herself into their arms. Isabel looked surprised at the princess, who was never really open with anybody except her only two friends. She was glad that the beautiful princess had somebody to help her through all her hard times, which were often and many. Liz turned to Isabel.  
  
"Thank you, kindly, for helping me, Isabel. You are dismissed."  
  
Isabel nodded, curstied and then left. Liz turned back to her two friends. She had known them since, forever. Her mother didn't really care to show any interest in her daughter, so she hired a nanny to watch over her always. The nanny was given permission to bring her two children to the castle while taking care of Liz. That is how the three of them became friends. Liz had lover her nanny very much, she was her true mother, and was upset when her nanny had to leave. Liz visited her nanny, Alexander and Maria, who she considered her own siblings, every day until her "parents" had found out where she was going and ordered her to stop.  
  
"Lizzie, what's the matter? Are you alright?" Alexander, or Alex as Liz called him, asked. Him and Maria were worried when they heard Liz wanted to see them.  
  
"Oh, Alex, it's awful! My parents have set me up for an arranged marriage to some prince in another country! I've tried to get them to unto it, to let me marry someone I love but they won't agree! What am I going to do? The only reason they set up this marriage is because the other family is wealthy and will help our family become more wealthy!"  
  
Alex and Maria walked up to their "sister" and pulled her into a group hug. They knew how she felt about her parents. She hated how everyone would treat her and her family different, just because they had money. She hated how her parents treated everybody else, just because they didn't have money. Alex and Maria had always thought of Liz as a commoner more than royalty and that's how she wanted it to be. 


	2. Chapter 2

part two  
  
As soon as Alex and Maria were able to get Liz to calm down a little, the three of them went for a walk. They couldn't really walk around the castle without running into somebody who would tell Liz's parents about her friends being there, so Liz changed her clothes into something "common" and they snuck out of the castle.  
  
While walking around the castle's outside grounds they were talking about everything. Liz found out that Alex and Maria's mother was deathly ill, and nobody could find out what was wrong with her. Immediately Liz was in hysterics and asking to go see her.  
  
"I don't know, Liz. What if somebody see's you???" Maria questioned Liz's plea's to see her nanny.  
  
"Maria, she's like my mother, how can you deny me the right to visit her? I need to see her and make sure she knows how much I love her and always will!" Liz told Maria. Alex and Maria thought about it and decided to take her to visit their mother.  
  
When they arrived at their little cottage, which was rotting and falling apart, Liz ran over to her nanny and started sobbing. She couldn't believe that the one person who had treated her like their own child, loved her like their own child, was dying and she would never be able to see them again.  
  
"What's wrong little one?" asked her "mother"  
  
"I can't believe you're sick, like this! You can't be this way. Nobody deserves this way of living, except maybe my parents, but not you! You treated me like I was an equal never higher than you, never lower than you. I thank you for that because that helped me realize everything that's wrong with this world, our kingdom and this monarchy!" Liz said, after quieting her sobs to little hiccups. "You're my one and only mother and I will love you forever! Always."  
  
"Precious, I love you, too. But you have a great mother at your home who could love you like I do, if you just let her. I am glad that I got to know you before my time was up and I'm glad that you became one of my children. Never forget the things that I taught you, never forget that nobody is higher or lower than you we are all equal," Nanny said, then turned to her other two children. "Alexander, Maria. You two have made me so happy. You're great people who will do great things in your life. Remember to love each other and that I loved you all of your life, even the part that I won't be able to share with you." And then she was gone. Liz turned to Maria and saw that she was leaning against Alex and crying with him. They looked up to see Liz looking at them and opened their arms to her. Liz took one look at them, turned around and ran.  
  
"Liz!! Lizzie, come back!" Alex and Maria cried out to her. They knew she was upset, and just hoped that she wouldn't to something drastic 


	3. Chapter 3

part three  
  
Liz walked around for awhile, just to clear her head of all the thoughts floating through it. She knew that Maria and Alex would always be there for her, but having an adult care for her was the one thing that she was going to miss. Her parents never really cared about her. As soon as she was born, they put her in a room with a nanny and never really talked to her. Sure she would eat meals with them, but that didn't mean that they knew anything about her. If they had known anything about her they would know that she only had two people in the WHOLE world that she could talk to and wouldn't haven forbidden to talk to her.  
  
Liz looked up to see where she had ended up walking to. The first thing she saw was her horse, Chocolate, so she knew she was in the royal stables. She walked up to her horse and started grooming it.  
  
"I don't know what to do, Chocolate. It's like I am all alone in the world, even though there are people all around me. Nobody really understands how it is to be a princess. Everybody thinks that I live richly and get anything I want, they all think that I have it easy. What I wouldn't give to switch lives with any person. I hate being a stupid princess!! My parents don't care about me, I only have two friends and I'm forbidden to see them ever! What kind of life is this?" She stopped talking, when she heard a sound coming from behind the horse. "Who's there? Show yourself!" She gasped when a gorgeous young man stepped out from behind her horse.  
  
"Wh- who are you?" She couldn't help but stare at his perfect body.  
  
"I'm sorry, princess! I didn't mean to disturb you! Please forgive me!" The young man said. He was captivated by the princess's beauty, even when she was angry. "What's your name?" She had to know who he was!  
  
"Max, princess. My name is Max." He could see how upset she was just by her eyes. She wasn't upset at him, but at something else. He wished he could walk up to her, wrap his arms around her and tell her everything would be okay. But, of course he couldn't do that.  
  
"What were you doing behind my horse??? Don't you know you should never sneak up on anybody, especially a princess?!" She wasn't really mad about him sneaking up on her, she was just startled about how beautiful he was.  
  
"I am sorry, Princess Elizabeth. I was just cleaning the stables and taking care of your horse. Please forgive me." He bowed down, he knew that if he looked at her any longer he would kiss her senseless, trying to make her feel better.  
  
"Please stand up. I hate it when people bow in front of me. I'm not special." She grabbed his hand to pull him up, but suddenly let go when she saw the sparks fly between them.  
  
Max, who had seen them too, looked up at her and realized that there were tear streaks running down her face.  
  
"Princess, if I may ask, what is wrong?" Max asked apprehensively. He could already tell that she wasn't like the other royalty, but that didn't mean she would blow up at him.  
  
Liz looked into his eyes and found something that she couldn't find in most people. Truth.  
  
"I'm fine. Thank you."  
  
Max nodded and turned around, feeling it was time for him to leave.  
  
"No, wait. I... I'm lying. Something is wrong." Liz didn't know why she wanted to tell this totally unfamiliar man everything she was feeling. She just felt that he could be trusted with everything and anything. "I'm just a little upset with my parents. They just understand...." Liz didn't really know how to explain everything to him.  
  
"Princess-" He started.  
  
"Liz. Please, call me Liz." She smiled at him and saw him smile back with his eyes gleaming. There was something in his eyes, some kind of emotion but she could tell what.  
  
"Umm... okay. Liz." He felt like he was ready to burst. He was so happy that he was actually talking to this beautiful person. "Well, Prin- Liz do you want to tell me what is wrong? I might be able to help. You never know." He didn't care what her problems were, as long as she would stay and talk to him.  
  
"I...Well, I guess-" Liz was interrupted by one of the servants yelling out to her  
  
"Princess Elizabeth!!! Princess!!"  
  
"I'm coming!!!" She turned back to Max. "I am so sorry! I really have to go, though. Are you always here?" She asked him sheepishly.  
  
"Everyday. You can come anytime you want. I never really talk to anybody, just the horses." He smiled knowing that she would be coming back.  
  
"Okay!!! Great!!" she realized that she was acting a little to excited. "Right, okay. Well..... Bye, I guess."  
  
"Yeah, bye."  
  
Liz turned around to meet one of the servants and smiled. She couldn't wait until tomorrow. That's when she was going to go back to visit Max.  
  
~*~Tomorrow~*~ she thought to herself. ~*~Tomorrow I am going to go back to see that man. I feel something for him, but what is it? Is it more than friendship or just that? Well, I'll find out sooner or later.~*~ and she smiled thinking back on his beautiful body, smile and his wondrous eyes. 


	4. Chapter 4

part four  
  
"Umm... Hello?? Is somebody here?" Liz asked out loud as soon as she had reached the horse stables. She had thought about Max all night, so she barely had gotten any sleep. But even just thinking of Max made her wide awake. ~*~What are you doing? You barely even know this guy!~*~  
  
"Yeah, I'm back here." Max yelled out to Liz. Even though he couldn't see her didn't mean he couldn't sense her.  
  
"Uh... Hi!" Liz's face just lit up seeing Max. ~*~He's so gorgeous!~*~  
  
"Hi." Max replied shyly. "So.....How's it going?" Liz was so busy staring at him that she didn't hear the question. "Liz?" He could tell Liz was out of it, because she had this dazed look on her face. He was getting a little uncomfortable with the way she was looking at him.  
  
"What? Oh! Yeah. It's going fine. Sorry about how I acted yesterday. I was a little upset."  
  
"That's okay. You can come to me anytime you need."  
  
"Thanks." Liz looked at him shyly and smiled.  
  
Max saw her smile and realized that when she smiled, her whole face lit up. He wanted to make her smile again.  
  
"So, what are you doing here?" He asked her.  
  
"Oh. Well, I just wanted to say thanks and wanted to know if we could be friends?"  
  
"Sure. I would love that!" ~*~Just friends?~*~ Max thought to himself.  
  
"Okay, well we should get to know each other a little bit."  
  
"Umm... okay."  
  
"Okay, I'll start. How old are you?" ~*~please please please be my age!~*~  
  
"17. How about you?"  
  
"Well, I'm 16, but I'll be 17 in a couple of months."  
  
"Okay, um....I don't know what to ask." Max said jokingly. He almost fainted when he heard her laugh. ~*~She sounds like an angel!~*~  
  
"Well, let's see. Do you have any siblings?"  
  
"Yeah, actually. You should know her. Isabel."  
  
"Oh yeah? That's great! I love Isabel."  
  
"Yeah she's a great sister. I love her alot." ~*~And I love you, too.~*~ Where did that thought come from? He had only known her for a couple hours.  
  
"Well, how about you tell me a little bit about yourself. Are you engaged or anything like that?" ~*~ What a subtle way to get that into the conversation. Idiot!~*~  
  
Max smiled before he answered the question. "No, i'm not involved or engaged or anything like that. I was involved with this one girl, Tess, but we decided that it would be better if we were in love, which we weren't."  
  
"You're so lucky. You're able to fall in love with somebody and marry them. I have an arranged marriage to another prince, who I've never met before. Life can't get more worse than that."  
  
"Is that what was bothering you yesterday? Because when you were talking to Chocolate you said something about how nobody understands you." Max said teasingly, knowing that she was embarrassed about talking to a horse.  
  
"Yeah, well. I tried talking to my parents about the marriage and about how I don't want to marry him, but all they think about is money. Supposedly, this family is going to make my parents richer. That's why I'm marrying him. But I want to marry for love. You know what I mean?" While Liz had been explaining everything to Max, the two of them had been moving closer together. Max couldn't help himself. ~*~This is bad, you should be doing this. She's a princess.~*~ But he felt the pull and didn't want to do anything about it.  
  
"Yeah I know what you mean." He couldn't help but look at her lips. She was so beautiful and she was here, talking to him. Liz noticed Max looking at her lips and couldn't help but smile. ~*~ I hope he kisses me!~*~ Liz licked her lips and hope that Max would get the idea to hurry up. Max noticed Liz licking her lips and started moving in. Just before they kissed-  
  
"ELIZABETH!!!" Liz's mother called out. Liz closed her eyes and cursed. Max looked up at her and smiled.  
  
"Later, I promise." He smiled knowing she would come back later that day.  
  
"I hope you keep that promise," and smiled teasingly at him when she saw his eyes widen in surprise. "Tonight, meet me here tonight."  
  
"Uh.. uh.. uh... right. Right tonight, ok. You got it." And gave her one of his mind-blowing smiles back.  
  
"ELIZABETH!!!"  
  
"You had better go, before your mother finds us like this."  
  
"What? Oh. oh. Right. Okay, I'll see you tonight." As she got up she brushed her hands against his shoulder. "Later." As soon as she had turned the corner, Max fell against the hay groaning. He couldn't believe that he was falling in love with the princess. 


	5. Chapter 5

part five  
  
"ELIZABETH!!!"  
  
"I'm right here! There's no need to yell, mother." Liz said as she came from behind her mom, from the stables.  
  
"Where were you?" Her mother asked impatiently.  
  
"I was in the stables with the horses." ~*~ and Max~*~  
  
"Well, what on earth were you doing in there?" her mother was obviously disgusted by her being near horses.  
  
"I was just brushing my horse. Now what do you want?"  
  
"Your father and I have set up a dinner that will help you get to know the prince better. So go into your chambers and get ready, the prince and his family will be here soon." Her mother said, before turning around and walking off to find some of the servants. Liz just stood there, shocked. She didn't want to meet this prince, let alone marry him. She started to her room, then turned around and ran in the other direction towards Max and the stables. She ran straight into Max's arms.  
  
"Liz? Liz, what's wrong?" He was worried. He was holding the princess while she was sobbing. Liz looked up long enough to calm down and try to tell him what was wrong.  
  
"My parents set up a dinner for my to get to know the prince better. The prince that I'm supposed to marry! What am I going to do? I don't want to be with him." She sobbed, while hugging him to her. Max felt his heart skip a beat. He had just remembered that Liz was the princess. She acted so much like a commoner that that's how he treated her, common.  
  
"Liz, you are going to go to that dinner and have a pleasant time. I'm sure of it. After the dinner you can come over here and tell me about it. Is that okay?" He was heartbroken. He looked down at the beauty in his arms and sucked in his breath. She was looking at him with a fire of passion in her eyes. This time he didn't was a minute. He bent his head down to kiss her and felt her doing the same thing. He looked down into her eyes and saw her looking at him. They smiled and finally their lips met. They gasped a little at first when they felt sparks between them, but leaned back in again because they needed the contact. Liz moaned when Max deepened their kiss. Max knew that they should stop, but it felt to good. He wrapped his arms around his waist and brought her closer and sighed when he felt her arms entwine around his neck.  
  
They eventually had to breathe, so they raised their heads and found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Max brought Liz closer to him and enclosed her in a hug. Liz sighed and leaned into his body, soaking in all the emotions that were going through her.  
  
"Uh... I should go." Liz said reluctantly.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Okay. Are you still gonna come tonight?" ~*~ Please say yes!~*~  
  
"Yeah, of course."  
  
"Great. See you tonight."  
  
"Tonight." Liz smiled, turned around and walked away.  
  
"Tonight." Max whispered after Liz had left 


	6. Chapter 6

part six  
  
Liz ran into her room, struggling at her dress, trying to get it off. She had to be at the dinner table in 20 minutes and was barely ready! Just then Isabel walked in with the dress that Liz was supposed to wear.  
  
"Here, Miss Elizabeth. Your mother gave me this dress for you to wear tonight. Are you excited to meet your fiancée?"  
  
"Argh, don't remind me. I don't want to marry somebody I don't every know." Liz paused for a second. "Can I tell you a secret?"  
  
"Of course. Is something the matter?"  
  
"No! Everything is wonderful. I think.... I think I'm in love."  
  
"With the prince?" Isabel asked a little confused.  
  
"No. I think I'm in love with...with...withyourbrother!" Liz rushed out the words, afraid of what Isabel was going to say. Isabel looked at Liz with shock, but then burst into a smile.  
  
"Yes, well. I have a little secret to share with you, but only if you promise not to tell anybody." Isabel smiled at what she was about to tell the princess. Liz nodded waiting for what she was going to tell her. "I was just talking to my studious brother and he told me a little something that might just make your day." She could see that the princess was hanging onto every word she was saying. "It turns out Max thinks he's in love with a young girl named Liz. Do you know anything about her?" Isabel was happy for both of them, but had realized how much trouble this might cause.  
  
Liz looked at her, it had taken her a while to realize what Isabel had meant. ~*~Max loves me?! I can't believe it!~*~  
  
Isabel had seen the stunned look on Liz's face and laughed. Liz looked up at Isabel and blushed. "Did he really say that?" Liz asked Isabel, sheepishly.  
  
"Yes he did, but he had promised me not to tell anyone. Please don't tell him, Miss Elizabeth."  
  
"Don't worry I won't," Liz said with a gleam in her eyes. "And please, call me Liz." Isabel jerked her head up when she heard Liz say that. She was so happy that Liz was finally letting her in. "Well, Liz, we need to get you ready for your dinner tonight. Oh no! What are you going to do about the prince?"  
  
"I don't know! I've thought about this over and over again. My parents don't know anything about love, they believe in having love arranged for you." Liz sat down on her bed and started getting dressed.  
  
"Well, maybe you should talk to the young prince about what you feel. Maybe you'll find out that he feels the same about the marriage." Isabel said, putting in her idea hoping it was good enough for Liz to use.  
  
"I think you're right. I am going to ask how he feels about everything being arranged. Maybe I'll take him to meet Max!" Liz was getting excited just thinking about Max. "Will you tell him to meet me there? Please, Isabel?"  
  
"Of course I will. I know he'll be happy to oblige. Now, time to go to your party!" 


	7. Chapter 7

part seven  
  
Liz stepped into the dining room and was immediately wrapped in a big hug by her parents.  
  
"What are you doing? Get off of me!" Liz whispered to them. Her mother turned to her and pulled her tighter into the hug and whispered back, "Shut up and look like you're enjoying yourself." Liz couldn't believe it, they wanted her to fool the other family. ~*~ Well, just wait until I get through with their son. Their realize how much he doesn't want to get married and break it off.~*~ Liz smiled and walked towards the boy who was probably around her age.  
  
"Hi! I'm Elizabeth. What's your name?" She held out her hand for him to kiss. The boy looked at her with a look of disgust on his face.  
  
"I'm Kyle and I really don't want to be here." ~*~ Great! Looks like I won't have to do much work on him.~*~ Liz sat down next to him and pulled her chair up close.  
  
"Just between the two of us, I don't want to be here either." Kyle looked up at her and smiled. Liz continued talking to him. "Do you want to go for a walk? We could just talk. It would be really nice to have another friend."  
  
Kyle looked a little surprised by what she said but nodded, "Anything as long as I don't have to been in here." Liz grabbed his hand and pulled him towards their parents, "We're going to go for a walk, we'll be back later," and then rushed off without the parents saying anything.  
  
Liz turned towards Kyle, "Sorry about the hand thing, but they need to at least think something good is happening, know what I mean?"  
  
"Yeah. Do you even want to go through with this marriage?"  
  
"No, I've tried talking my parents out of it but they won't listen."  
  
"Yeah, same with me. Why do you disagree with the marriage?" Kyle asked her, wondering what her answer would be.  
  
"I just don't believe in setting up marriages, I want to be able to marry who I want to marry. And lately I've been feeling that about someone who, I think, feels the same way."  
  
"Who is it? Is it a prince?"  
  
"No, actually. He's....well he's our stable manager."  
  
"What?!? You feel in love with a commoner? Do you parents know?"  
  
"No, and I don't know how to tell them." Liz paused for a few minutes. "Would you like to meet him?"  
  
"Well, I don't know. I mean he's a commoner. Is it right?"  
  
"Just come on," and Liz grabbed his hand and ran towards the stable to find Max. Liz walked into the stable, looking for Max and found her horse instead. She walked up to her horse and saw that it had been washed, brushed and there was a bow on top of her head. Liz turned around, knowing Max was there, and jumped into his arms.  
  
"She looks beautiful, Max. Thank you!" Liz said planting a kiss on his lips.  
  
All the while, Kyle was watching them together. He was amazed how good they looked together. He was speechless when he looked at them hugging and saw a certain kind of glowing light surrounding them. By that time Liz had totally forgotten that Kyle was standing there, watching them. Her and Max were totally centered in on each other. Max was spinning Liz around, while she was planting tiny kisses all over his face. Max finally stopped spinning when he realized somebody else was in the room.  
  
"Umm.... Liz? Who's that?" Max was obviously confused.  
  
"Oh! That's Kyle. Kyle, Max. Max, Kyle." She introduced them. Then she leaned into Max and whispered. "He's the guy my parents set up for me. Remember?"  
  
"Yeah, I remember him, but why did you bring him here? Won't he tell your parents?"  
  
Kyle heard Max and answered the question for him. "No, I won't tell. I don't want this marriage to happen either. I just hope that I can find somebody who loves me as much as you two love each other. Now, if you excuse me-"  
  
"Wait, Kyle. You shouldn't go back by yourself. I need to come to make sure the parents don't get suspicious." Liz turned around to Max. "I'll come back tonight. Will you be here?" Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. After the kiss, Max leaned his forehead against Liz's and whispered that he would be there that night.  
  
"Great." Liz turned around, grabbed Kyle's arm and started walking off. Suddenly she turned around and rushed back to Max and gave him a hug.  
  
"Isabel told me what you said, Max, and I just want to say that I feel the same way." Liz leaned up and placed a kiss on Max's shocked lips and then got up on her tip toes and whispered into his ear, "I love you." Liz turned around and started walking towards Kyle, when Max grabbed her and kissed her with all the passion that he had in him.  
  
Liz was surprised, but fixed that by kissing Max back with all the passion in her. She wrapped her arms around his waist, while Max cupped her face in his hands. Max deepened the kiss when he felt Liz grab his waist. When Liz started rubbing Max's back and raising her hands up to his neck, he brought his arms down to her waist and pulled her closer. Liz moaned and Max was happy to be bringing her so much pleasure. Max then lifted his head and started kissing down Liz's neck and back up to her ear and whispered into it.  
  
"I love you, too," and then pulled her into a hug. They both were breathing hard from that kind of kiss and had totally forgotten about Kyle. Liz looked up and saw Kyle looking at both of them with amazement. She buried her head in Max's neck and blushed a deep red.  
  
"Uh...Max? We forgot about our 'company.'" Max looked up and saw Kyle and hid his face in Liz's hair. He was so embarrassed!!! "I'm sorry, Liz. I got carried away."  
  
"Awww... Max, it's okay. I should probably go though. I don't want my parents to get worried when we've been gone to long."  
  
"You promise, you'll come back tonight, though?"  
  
"Of course, love, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Later." Liz reached up and kissed the tip of Max's nose, turned around and walked off, glancing behind her once before turning the corner. 


	8. Chapter 8

part eight  
  
Later that night, Liz snuck out to the horse stables.  
  
"Max?" Liz whispered, she didn't want anybody to hear her and tell her parents. "Max, where are you?" Liz turned the corner towards the horse stables and was suddenly grabbed from behind. She was getting ready to scream for help, but she was turned around and faced Max. Before she could react she was relished with kisses from Max. He kissed his way down her neck and back up, before whispering in her ear, "Hi, princess."  
  
Liz laughed at what Max had said and brought his mouth to hers and shared a kiss with him.  
  
"So, what are we doing tonight?" Liz wanted to know when the tow of them were done "greeting" each other.  
  
"Hmmm....I don't know. What do you feel like doing?" Max knew what he wanted to do, he just wanted to spend all night with Liz.  
  
"I have a little idea. But you're going to have to guess." Liz had a mischievous look in her eyes that made Max shudder.  
  
"Just one little hint? Please?" Max looked at Liz and pouted.  
  
"Okay, but only one." Liz said and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss Max. She felt him smile against her mouth and sighed into his mouth when he deepened the kiss. Suddenly she pulled back. "No, no, no. That was too much of a hint. Come on, let's go." Liz grabbed Max's hand and pulled him outside.  
  
"Where are we going?!? Come on. Tell me, tell me, tell me." Liz smiled at how Max was acting like a little kid.  
  
"No, i'm not telling you. If you want to know, you'll just have to get it out of me." Liz said, teasing Max. She gasped when she saw Max's eyes filled with passion.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, then you better watch out!" Max grabbed Liz around the waist, pushed her up against a wall that they were passing. Liz started squirming, but stopped when she realized what Max was doing. Max started bringing his mouth down to Liz's and suddenly stopped.  
  
"Liz?" When he said that his lips just barely touched Liz's.  
  
"Uh, yeah, what?" Liz was having trouble breathing. She needed Max to kiss her, she couldn't stand the way he was torturing her. They way her mouth was right by his and how they kept brushing up against each other every time someone talked.  
  
"Liz? Do you want me to kiss you?" Max asked, knowing what her answer would be.  
  
"Uh-huh." Liz said, she was going crazy!  
  
"Then tell me where we're going!" Max smiled, leaned in while watching Liz the whole time, and kissed her on the cheek. He turned around and started walking off, laughing at how dazed Liz looked.  
  
"You jerk!" Liz finally came out of her dazed way and had realized what Max had done to her. She saw Max turn around towards her, so she ran off in the opposite direction.  
  
"Liz! Liz, wait." Max was worried. He hadn't meant to hurt her, just mess with her head a little. He caught up with Liz, grabbed her arm, turned her around and kissed her.  
  
Liz knew that Max was trying to get her to forgive him, so she made this extremely hard for him. She deepened the kiss immediately and pulled Max closer. She pushed her body harder into his and was thrilled when she heard him groan. Suddenly she pulled away, grabbed his shirt and started walking towards her destination. Max wrapped his arms around Liz's waist and whispered into her ear.  
  
"You knew what you were doing, didn't you?" He kissed her neck and started moving down.  
  
"Uh-huh. And if you don't stop that, we'll never get to where we're going, so behave." Max let go of Liz's waist and held onto her hand, letting her guide him.  
  
Liz stopped when she reached a door, turned the handle and let them both in.  
  
"Liz, where are we?" Max was a little confused.  
  
"Well, we're.....in my room." Liz looked up at Max and saw him looking at her with shock on his face. " I just want to be held by you, Max. Not anything more." She laughed when she saw him smile.  
  
"And what is so funny?" He asked, when she laughed.  
  
"You should have seen you're face. I thought you were going to die from shock!" Liz was sitting on the edge of her bed, bent over laughing. She stopped when she saw Max standing over her and gasped when she saw the passion in his eyes. "Max..." She whispered right before Max kissed her. Neither of them could hold in their sighs and moans when their mouths came into contact. Liz wrapped her arms around Max's neck and felt him bring his arms around her waist. Neither of them had even noticed that Max had pinned Liz against the bed, they were so into each other.  
  
"Mmm... Max." Liz moaned when Max started kissing down her neck and back up. Liz reached for the edge of Max's shirt and started pulling it over his head. Max raised his arms and helped Liz remove his shirt. Liz kissed a trail down Max's chest and came back up to his mouth for a kiss. They both pulled away for a breath and leaned their foreheads towards each other.  
  
"Max, I want you so much." Liz was the first to break their silence.  
  
"I know, baby, I want you too, but we have to wait. I don't care how long, as long as I'm with you," He kissed her nose and pulled her close to him. "Come on, it's time for bed."  
  
"Okay, Goodnight Max," She held onto Max, unconsiously drawing circles on his chest. "I love you."  
  
Max was already having trouble breathing with Liz's hands on him, but when she said those three little words he felt wonderful, amazed and totally in love with her. He grabbed her hand, brought it up to his mouth, kissed it and said, "I love you, too." 


	9. Chapter 9

part nine ** This part kind of switches through Max and Liz, so sorry if it's confusing** This first part is Liz  
  
Liz woke up the next morning to the feel of Isabel shaking her.  
  
"Princess! Princess, you must wake up. Your mother is coming!"  
  
~*~ Oh my God! ~*~ Liz thought. ~*~ If she finds Max....I don't even want to think about what she would do to him.~*~ Liz turned towards Max and nudged him awake.  
  
"Max, come on Max, wake up."  
  
Max looked up at Liz, he still hadn't noticed that Isabel was in the room, and gave Liz a kiss. "Good Morning. " He sat up and saw Isabel, with a happy look on her face, standing next to Liz. "Isabel!" Max grabbed his shirt that had been thrown on the floor and forced it back on. "Izzie, what are you doing here?" Max asked with a very confused look on his face.  
  
Liz answered the question before Isabel could.  
  
"Max, my mother is coming! You have to leave! Isabel came to warn us."  
  
"Okay." Max got out of bed and headed towards Liz. "I love you." He gave her a kiss and broke away before either of them could deepen it. "When will I see you again?" Max asked before he headed out of the door.  
  
"Meet me outside the castle. I'll be there as soon as I can." Max turned to leave and stopped when Liz called out to him, "I love you, too." Liz walked over to him and gave him a kiss, and quickly deepened it before Max pulled away and left out the door with him sister.  
  
As soon as the two of them had left, Liz ripped off her dirty clothes and reached for a clean dress. Her mother was walking in as Liz was buttoning the last button.  
  
"Good morning, Elizabeth. I see you slept well."  
  
"Morning mother." Liz held herself stiffly, never able to be comfortable around her parents. "Is there something that you wanted, mother? Or did you just come in here to make sure that my day starts out bad?"  
  
"Now Elizabeth, is that a way to talk to your mother? I just wanted to come here and tell you in person that you will not be marrying that young prince."  
  
"Really? Why not?" Liz was becoming confused and worried. ~*~ Are they going to make me do something worse?~*~  
  
"Well, it turned out that his family did not have enough money to suit our needs. We will find somebody better. "  
  
"Right someone better." Liz had to turn away from her mother, so she wouldn't be able to see her eyes which were filled with tears.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry that it didn't work out, Elizabeth. You seemed quite taken with that one. But, he was not good enough for you-"  
  
"No! You mean not good enough for you! Why can't I just pick who I want to be with? I want to be with someone because of MY reasons, not yours! Just let me live my life."  
  
"Elizabeth, your father and I just want what is best for you and right now, finding someone who would be able to take care of you and the rest of us, is what is best for you." Her mother said.  
  
"No! What is best for me is for you two to leave me alone! Just let me be in charge of my own life. Please!" Liz cried out, trying to reach out to her mother.  
  
"Elizabeth, you just do not understand right now, but, when you grow up you will be thankful for what we are doing for you."  
  
"How could I be thankful that you are ruining my life!?! Just get out of my life and leave my alone!" and with that, Liz rushed past her mother and out of her room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile.... (MAX)  
  
Max was at his little home, thinking about Liz what their future would hold, if they even had a future together. Max was seriously falling in love with Liz and was a little worried about what would happened if somebody found out. He wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, but what if somebody or something broke them about?  
  
~*~Oh well, I'm not going to think about that just now. I am just going to be thankful for what I have now.~*~ Max thought as he left his home to go to the palace stables.  
  
And there Max was. A guy totally in love, with A PRINCESS, but all he could think about was that she loved him back and that amazed him.  
  
  
  
So lately, been wondering  
  
Who will be there to take my place  
  
When I'm gone you'll need love to light the shadows on your face  
  
If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all  
  
Then between the sand and stone, could you make it on your own  
  
If I could, then I would,  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go  
  
(LIZ)  
  
Liz was running through the streets of the city, just trying to get away from her parents, her life, her misery. To her, it just felt that if she kept running, it would all disappear and be all better. ~*~ Max~*~, she thought, ~*~ I need to find Max~*~. She had no idea where he was, or where she was for that matter, but just kept running. It freed her.  
  
And maybe, I'll find out  
  
A way to make it back someday  
  
To watch you, to guide you, through the darkest of your days  
  
If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all  
  
Then I hope there's someone out there  
  
who can bring me back to you  
  
(MAX)  
  
Max started walking a little faster. He just couldn't wait any longer to be with Liz, he really just wanted to hold her and be with her.  
  
If I could, then I would,  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Max was walking so fast that he hadn't even noticed who he rammed into.  
  
"Oh my God! Are you okay?" He asked, picking the young woman up. He got a good look at who he ran over, shocked he spoke again. "Liz! Liz, what are you doing out here? You shouldn't be out here. Come on, I'll take you back."  
  
"No. Max, I....I don't..." and before she could even finish her sentence she collapsed in his arms, crying.  
  
"Liz, what's wrong?" Max asked, worried out of his mind.  
  
"Please don't take me back, let me be with you!"  
  
Run away with my heart  
  
Run away with my hope  
  
Run away with my love  
  
"Liz, you need to tell me what's wrong! Please!" Max cried out to her. It was breaking his heart, seeing her crying torn apart like she was.  
  
"I'll tell you, just don't take me back. Please!" Liz begged to Max.  
  
I know now, just quite how  
  
My life and love might still go on  
  
In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time  
  
  
  
"Okay. Come on, we'll go to my place" Max said, before picking Liz up and carrying her close to him. Max turned around and headed back to his little house, not knowing what Liz was so upset about but hoping he would be able to help her through it.  
  
If I could, the I would,  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go  
  
If I could turn back time (I'll go wherever you will go)  
  
If I could make you mine (I'll go whever you will go) 


	10. Chapter 10

Part Ten  
  
Max sat Liz down on his bed, in his home. She had finally calmed down and was now sleeping peacefully. Max ran his fingers through his hair, totally stressed, wondering about what was up with Liz. He looked up when he heard the door open and saw Isabel run through.  
  
"Max! I have something to tell you. Liz ran off and nobody can find her!" Isabel told Max, nervously.  
  
"Isabel, it's okay. I have her," Max told his sister, trying to get her to calm down. "But she won't tell me what's wrong. Tell me, please!" Max begged his sister.  
  
"I don't know, Max. After you left, her parents went in to talk to her and the next thing I knew she just ran out, crying." Isabel said.  
  
"Maybe I should take her back." Max said, worried about Liz and her parents.  
  
"Yeah, I think you should. You know, just--"  
  
"No. I don't want to go back! And you can't make me." Liz said. She tried to run past Max and Isabel, only to be pulled back against Max. She tried to beat him away, only to start crying again. Max pulled Liz into a hug and felt her shudder each time she took in a breathe.  
  
Max almost started crying. His Liz was upset and he didn't even know why, she wouldn't let him in. He lifted up her chin so she could look him in the eyes.  
  
"Liz, I need you to tel me what's wrong. I can't take this." Max said. Liz looked into his eyes and saw all the sadness she was causing him to have. She stood up on her tip-toes and lightly brushed he lips against his, in a reassuring kiss.  
  
"Let's sit down." She said. She took his hand and brought him over to his bed and sat down next to him. "Well, you know how my parents were going to make me marry Kyle?" Liz asked Max. He nodded. "They told me this morning that I wasn't going to anymore."  
  
"Why would you be upset about that? Wouldn't that mean we could be together?" Max had to know. Why would she be upset about Kyle? Did she want to be with him?  
  
Liz climbed up on his lap. "Oh God, Max. If only it was that easy." She pulled him into a tight hug and whispered, "You don't have to worry about me wanted to be with somebody. I've already found my soulmate in you." Max pulled back in surprise, "How did you know I was thinking that?" Liz smiled, "It's because we're already one, Max. Always and forever." Their lips met in a sweet kiss. Isabel notice how they had already gotten off the subject and thought, **Geez, I wonder if they'll always be like this.** She smiled knowing Max and Liz would be together no matter what. Isabel coughed to break the couple out of their 'love session', " I know you two would rather make-out than talk, but we should probably let Liz finish her story."  
  
Max and Liz blushed, Liz climbed off of Max's lap and sat next to him, holding his hand.  
  
"Okay...So my parents said I'm not going to be with Kyle because, according to them, he isn't rich enough for our family. They're already looking for someone else for me." Liz's eyes started fogging up with tears, at the thought of not being with Max. She felt Max tighten his hold on her hand, looked up and saw him mouth, "I love you" to her. " I love you, too." Liz mouthed back. Isabel saw the looks between the two and decided to break it up before anything else happened.  
  
"Why don't you just try to talk to your parents about Max?" Isabel suggested. Max turned to Liz, "Yeah. We could explain to them how we feel about each other."  
  
Liz shook her head at them. " You don't understand my parents. They don't believe in love, only that people should marry for money. They wouldn't like what's going on with Max and I."  
  
"Liz, could we at least try? Please for me?" Max gave Liz the 'sad puppy face' he knew she wouldn't be able to resist. Liz laughed at his tactics but had to agree. "Okay, but I won't promise you anything good will come out of this." Liz took Max's hand and the two of them walked off the the castle. 


	11. Chapter 11

Part Eleven  
  
Max and Liz entered the castle together, despite the funny looks they were getting from people. Max stopped walking and pulled Liz to the side.  
  
"Liz, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we don't know what they're going to do or how they're going to act." Max asked Liz.  
  
"Max, I want to do this if it means we can be together. You do want to be with me, don't you?" Liz asked insecurely.  
  
"What? Of course I want to be with you. But what if they try to hurt you? It would be because of me." Max said, pulling Liz closer to him.  
  
"Max, they wouldn't hurt me. I know for sure that they would go after you. It would be my fault, because I dragged you here, so if you don't want to go in i'll understand." Liz told Max, hugging him to her tightly. Max looked down at Liz and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her lightly.  
  
"I'm not going to leave. If they don't want us together, I know we'll find a way. And even if they try to hurt us and break us apart, at least I know I had sometime with you, if not my whole life. I have cherished every second we've had together and nothing will ever take that away."  
  
Liz looked at Max with unshed tears in her eyes. "I love you so much," Liz said before wrapping her arms around Max's neck and pulling him in for a kiss.  
  
"I love you, too." Max mumbled against Liz's lips.  
  
The two of them were so into each other that they had forgotten about all the servants who were haning around the castle. Most of the servants were so mesmorized by how in love Max and Liz were, but a few ran to get the Queen and King.  
  
"What is going on here?!" the King's loud voice broke the couple apart, even though they were still in a daze.  
  
"Elizabeth, what are you doing with HIM?"  
  
"Mother! Father! What are you doing here?" Liz asked surprised.  
  
"One of the servants came to us saying something was going on with our daughter. But I didn't imagine it would be something like this. Was he hurting you Elizabeth? We'll have to get rid of him. Guards!"  
  
"NO!! Stay away from him." Liz turned to Max. "Max, go get Isabel, tell her to get Maria and Alex and meet me at Maria's house, ok?"  
  
"Liz, I don't want to leave you here alone. I want to be here." Max said.  
  
"Max, I need you to trust me. Please just do what I asked." Liz kissed him lightly, "I love you." Max smiled, " I love you, too." Max walked off, while Liz turned towards her parents.  
  
"Where is he going?" her father demanded to know.  
  
"I asked him to leave. I need to talk to you alone. Please follow me." Liz said.  
  
"Elizabeth, I have a right to know what's going on!" Liz's mother told her.  
  
"No, Mother, you don't. Not really.Neither of you do, but I'm going to tell you anyway." Liz had stopped walking and was now facing her parents. "I'm not going to go along with you match-making anymore. I'm going to be with Max and there's nothing you can do about it. You never realized that I'm grown up now. I'm nearly an adult. And all you two ever cared about my entire life was finding a rich family to marry me into. Did you ever love me? When I was little I loved you, but I learned how foolish I was being. Loving two people who never really loved me in the first place. Now, I have Max and I'm going to be with him." Liz looked at her parents. "If you can't accept us, then we'll leave."  
  
"Elizabeth, I can't believe I brought up such an awful daughter. You talk back to us, show us not respect even though we're trying to do the best for you. How ungrateful are you?"  
  
"Mother, you never brought me up. I was brought up by a nurse who actually loved me. Which more than I can say for the two of you. As for being ungrateful. I'm ungrateful for living in such an awful family, but grateful, now, for being able to start over and make sure that MY family doesn't turn out like this." Liz said.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Her father asked, rudely.  
  
"I'm leaving, and you'll never be able to tell me what to do. You're now out of my life. I deny the both of you," and with that, Liz turned around and ran out of the castle towards Maria and Alex's house, leaving behind two dumbfounded parents. 


	12. Chapter 12

Part Twelve  
  
Liz burst into Maria's home. "Where's Max?" Liz asked hurriedly.  
  
"Liz, I'm right here." Max called. Liz walked over and jumped into Max's arms.  
  
"Max, we have to leave. Run away. Get away from here." Liz whispered into his ear.  
  
"When?" was the only thing he asked. Liz pulled away from him, "You're not upset that we have to leave?"  
  
"Not if i'm with you. As long as we're together, everything will be fine." Max said, pulling Liz into another hug. Liz sighed, "I hope so." Liz kissed in the place of Max's heart and then turned around to face everybody else, but staying in Max's embrace.  
  
"Max and I have to leave tonight and we'll need your help." Liz told everyone.  
  
"Of course, Lizzie. What do you guys need?" Maria asked.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait!!! Maria wait are you doing? Liz wants to run away with a guy neither of us has met and you just agree. What is wrong with you?" Alex screamed at his sister.  
  
"Alex, I need to get away from here, from my parents and running away is the only choice." Liz said, trying to get her friend to understand.  
  
"Why, Lizzie? What's the problem that's making you run away? Why can't it be solved?" Alex asked.  
  
"It's...........because.......um......I'M PREGNANT!" Liz just blurted outloud, even though it wasn't true.  
  
"WHAT?!?!" Everyboy including Max screamed out. Max spun Liz around. "Liz what do you mean your pregnant? That doesn't make any sense!" Max asked hysterically. Liz grabbed his hand and pulled him into a room, "We'll be right back." Liz closed the door and turned towards Max to find him pacing the room. She giggled at how he was acting and wondered if that's how he would act if she really were pregnant. Max looked at her. "What are you laughing? I want to know how this happened." Max said. Liz sat down on Maria's bed and patted the space next to her, "Sit," she commanded. Max sat next to her, shaking. Liz smiled, "Max, it's a lie. I'm not pregnant, ok? I just told them that so they would help us." Liz looked at Max's face and all the emotions that passed over Max's face. Sadness was the last one she saw.  
  
"Max, what's wrong?" Liz asked.  
  
"Well, I'm just a little upset that it was a lie. I mean, I know it's impossible because we haven't done anything to make it true, but I was excited that.....Never mind, it's really stupid. Let's go out there." Max started to stand up, when Liz pulled him back down. "Tell me, Max. Please I want to know." Max smiled and sat back down, but not without pulling Liz into his lap. "It got me to thinking about our future. You know, us together married, kids. It got me excited, because I knew that our children are going to be beautiful, just like their mother." Max looked at Liz and saw her smiling. "What?" he asked.  
  
"You think about our future? Kids?" Liz asked.  
  
"Well, yeah. I know we'll be together. Why does that bother you?" Max asked.  
  
"Of course not. I can't wait for our future together, Max. It's going to be great." Liz kissed Max. She knew it could get out of control because there were other people in the house, but Max had a different idea. He fell back on the bed and flipped them so he was above her. "So.....wanna start our future?" Max said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Liz giggled and then pretended to be thinking about Max's suggestion.  
  
"Well, I guess getting an early start wouldn't hurt." Liz replied, while nibbling on Max's neck. Max moaned and then brought Liz's lips to his. They were bother so caught up in each other that they didn't notice that Alex, Maria and Isabel had walked in the room.  
  
"AHHHH!!! You guys, there's no need to do that on my bed. Isn't that what go you into this mess in the first place?!" Maria screeched at Max and Liz.  
  
"I knew it! I knew they wouldn't be able to be in a room alone for too long!" Isabel said, laughing.  
  
"Alex spoke up, but wasn't looking at the couple, "Are you guys dressed and everything? Can I open my eyes?" Liz and Max blushed at what the three of them had been suggesting. Liz walked up to Alex, "So are you willing to help us now?" She asked him.  
  
"I guess i have no choice, as long as you guys make me an uncle!" Alex replied. An hour later they had everything figured out. Liz and Max were staying in an old cabin that Alex and Maria knew about, where nobody would be able to find them. Isabel had gone over to the castle and taken Chocolate, Liz's horse, so the couple could ride off together.  
  
As Max was helping Liz up onto the horse, Liz gave Maria and Isabel hugs and turned to Alex and kissed him on the cheek. As she hugged him she whispered in his ear, "Oh, by the way, Alex. I'm not pregnant. I was lying." Liz jumped up on the horse and Max and Liz rode off towards their new life. 


	13. Chapter 13A

Part 13A  
  
"And they lived happily ever after." Liz said, before leaning down and tucking in two children, twins Arianna and Matthew.  
  
"Tell it again, Momma." 9-year-old Arianna muttered, half asleep. Liz laughed softly, "Maybe tomorrow night." She turned around and started to blow out the candle that was lighting up the room when he heard, "I love you Momma." Liz smiled with tears in her eyes.  
  
"I love you, too, Mattie." She said to 9-year-old Matthew. She blew out the light and closed the door softly. When she turned around, she was hit with the image of Max, her husband of the past 10 years. She could tell something was bothering him, so she walked over to him and sat on his lap. Max looked up surprised, he hadn't even noticed that Liz was out there. Liz smiled at him and whispered into his ear, "The kids are in bed. We have time to ourselves." She started kissing his neck, when Max suddenly pulled her back from him. "We have to talk." He said, so serious that it was scaring Liz.  
  
"What's wrong?" Liz asked.  
  
"You remember when we got that letter from Alex and Isabel? After them and the kids came to visit us?"  
  
"Yeah. Mattie and Arianna were so happy to see their cousins. I really wish that Alex, Isabel, Micheal and Maria all lived closer to us. The kids miss their cousins-"  
  
"Liz, your parents have been looking for you. They even tracked down Alex, Isabel and Maria. They are trying to find us, Liz."  
  
Liz was so shocked by the news, she never thought he parents would do something like that.  
  
"What are we going to do? We can't let them find us, they'll find the kids. God knows what they would do or how they would react if they found out that we got married when we were 16, let alone had kids at such a young age!" Liz said, overreacting.  
  
"Liz, calm down, ok? We'll figure something out. They won't get to the kids, ok? Tomorrow we'll take them to my parents house so we can figure this out." Max pulled a shaking Liz into a tight hug and kissed her on her temple, "Don't worry, babe, we'll fix this."  
  
The two of them sat like that for a while, until they heard, "Momma, Daddy. I had a nightmare." They turned and saw Matthew in front of his room. Liz got up to take him back to bed, but Max pushed her down into the chair. "I'll take care of him I think you should go to bed." He kissed her lightly, resisting the urge to deepen it, and walked over to Matthew, picking him up. "Do you want a story, Mattie?"" Max asked. Mattie nodded, "The Princess Liz story, Daddy." Max smiled, more to himself than Matt, because him and Liz were the only one's who knew it was a true story. "Sure, buddy, whatever you want." 


	14. Chapter 13B

Part 13B  
Liz woke up the next morning to a small, little body lying next to her. She turned around and smiled when she saw Arianna sleeping with her. Liz quietly lifted Arianna out of bed, making sure not to wake her, and walked into Mattie and Arianna's room. Liz almost cried at what she saw. Max had fallen asleep holding onto Mattie. Liz loved how much they looked alike. Mattie had Max's dark brown hair, amber-colored eyes, and his strong jaw. The only thing that was missing was Max's ears, not that Max complained. He was happy his son had Liz's ears. While Mattie was almost identical to Max and Liz, Arianna had light-brown hair and gray-ish colored eyes, looking almost identical to her Aunt Isabel. Liz set Arianna in her bed and went over to Mattie's bed and lightly shook Max awake. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "If you wake up, you'll get a surprise." Max groaned, but got out of bed. Liz dragged him out of the room, shut the door and then pushed Max up against it.  
That's what woke him up.  
"What's with you?" Max asked.  
"I missed you last night. But I really got to thinking about what we should do." Liz answered. Max grabbed her hand, brought her over to a chair and sat down. He waited for Liz to continue. "I think we need to go back." Liz whispered, not looking at Max.  
"What?! Why would you want to go back there? They were awful people!"  
"Max, I'm sorry, but they are my parents. Even if they are awful people. I should at least tell them that I'm okay."  
"Liz, I don't know. What about the kids?" Max asked.  
"We can leave them with your parents. You know they wouldn't mind, they love spending time with them."  
"Liz-"  
"Max, I need to do this. It would make me feel so much better. I..... I just need to do this, ok?"  
Max thought it over, and realized that even if he didn't want to go back, Liz needed him.  
"Okay, but we're not taking the kids. I don't want to risk it."  
Liz smiled and kissed him, quickly deepening it. They were so into each other that they hadn't realized that someone had walked into their house.  
"Ahhh....Jeez. You to don't waste one second do you?" Max's father asked. When Max and Liz had heard his voice, they broke apart as soon as they could, without looking at Phillip.  
"Now, Phillip. Don't you go embarressing them." Diane turned to the young couple. "Don't listen to him, I understand the need to use every minute alone." She smiled when she saw the two of them blush. "Well, we just came over to see if they kids could spend the day with us. It's been such a long time since we last saw them."  
"Actually Mom, you guys saw them yesterday." Max teased. Diane just shrugged and threw her son a smiled. "But yes, you two can have the kids. We were actually going to ask if they could stay with you for awhile. Liz and I have something important we need to deal with."  
"Sure. I love those two little rascals. Can we go get them now?" Diane asked.  
"Let Liz and I wake them up, first, and tell them what's going on. Then the two of you can take them."Max answered, grabbing Liz's handing and walking to the kids room.  
"Don't get distracted on the way!!" Phillip called out to Max and Liz, teasing them for being together all the time. A few minutes later, Max and Liz came out, carrying Mattie and Arianna.  
"They're all ready. You might have to tell them some stories to get them back to sleep, but they should be really good today." Liz told her "mom" and "dad". She looked at Mattie and Arianna. "Be good when your at Grandma and Grandpa's okay? I don't want you two misbehaving." She kissed Arianna and Mattie on the foreheads and handed them to Diane and Phillip.  
AT PHILLIP AND DIANE'S HOUSE  
"So, sweeties, would you guys like a story? It might help you get back to sleep." Diane asked her grandkids. Arianna nodded and replied, "We want the 'Princess Liz' story, please, Grandma."  
"Oh..I don't know that one. How about you tell me, instead?"  
"Momma and Daddy tell it to us all the time. It's about a young princess named Liz and she has two best friends named Alex and Maria, and her servants name is Isabel. One day Liz meets the stable boy, named Max, and the two of them fall in love and they get married. And so does Alex and Isabel and then Maria marries a man named Micheal. But Liz had to run away from her parents because they didn't approve of Max because he was the stable boy. Now do you know what I'm talking about, Grandma?" Arianna asked, after explaining the story.  
Diane was just sitting there. She didn't know if they story was true or not. Then she realized that she didn't really know anything about Liz and her past. It was suddenly becoming so clear. Isabel, Alex, Maria and Micheal always came to visit Max and Liz, but Max and Liz never went to go visit them.  
"Grandma? Are you okay?" Arianna asked.  
"Sweetie, I want you to stay right here, ok? Grandpa and I have to go do something." She kissed Arianna on the head and ran out to Phillip.  
"We have to go talk to Max and Liz, right now!" She grabbed Phillip and ran down the street to Max and Liz's house.  
MAX AND LIZ'S HOUSE  
Max ran to the door to answer the person who just happened to be almost banging it down. When he opened the door he saw his parents and was surprised, "Where are the kids? Are they okay?" Max asked, worried that something had happened to his kids. Diane pushed past Max and called to Liz, "Liz, honey, I need you to come out here!"  
"Diane, what's wrong? Is it the kids? Are they okay?" Liz asked.  
"The kids are fine. Really. We just need to talk about something important." Diane sat down in the closest chair and start, "The kids asked me to tell them a story. When I asked which one they wanted, they said, 'the Princess Liz story'." Max and Liz stiffened up when they realized where this was going. Diane continued, anyway, "I didn't know the story, so Arianna told me what it was about." She paused, checking out Max and Liz's structure. "Is it true? Are you really a princess, Liz?" 


	15. Chapter 14

Part 14  
Liz gasped as soon as she heard Diane ask her the question. How did they find out? Liz turned to Max, pleading with him with her eyes. Max turned to his mom. "Why do you think that?"  
"The kids wanted us to tell them the story of Princess Liz. I didn't know it so I had them explain it to me. Is it true? Liz, sweetie, please just tell us!" Diane pleaded with her daughter-in-law.  
Liz looked up to Diane and Phillip, silently crying to herself, and nodded. "Yes, it's true. I am....no was a princess, but I'm not any more."  
"Why? Why aren't you all with your parents? What would make you not want to be a princess anymore?" Phillip asked.  
"My parents didn't accept Max. I needed to be with him, he was like my lifeline. I would have done anything to be with him, and that seemed like the only reasonable thing." Liz answered, bringing herself closer to Max. She smiled softly when he kissed her lightly on the neck.  
"So you did all this for Max? What about yourself?" Diane asked.  
"No. It wasn't for Max. Don't you see? I had to get out of there, away from my parents and everything. And then I met Max and he just made everything better. It didn't matter where I was as long as I was with him. It was a totally selfish move. All for myself." Liz said before she started sobbing. Diane turned to Max, shocked. Max stood up and picked Liz up taking her to their room and setting her on the bed. " I want you to rest for awhile before coming back out, ok?" Max stated. Liz nodded with teary eyes and lightly kissed Max, "I love you, Max, with all my heart." Max returned the kiss, " I love you too, Liz, always." He walked out and closed the door softly.  
"I'm so sorry, Max. I didn't mean to get her worked up like that." Diane said, feeling sorry for causing Liz to feel what she was feeling.  
"It's alright, Mom. She just doesn't understand that leaving was possibly the only thing that was right in her life." Max sat back down across from her parents. "I'll answer your questions now, Liz needs to rest for awhile before coming back out." Max said, nodding towards his dad who looked like he had a question.  
"What made her want to leave so bad?" Phillip asked.  
Max sighed before answering, "Her parents were probably the worst parents anybody could ever have. Ever since Liz had been born they would shove her off to her nanny and never spent any time with her. Probably the beginning of Liz's troubles was when her mother announced to her that Liz was already set up to marry some young, rich prince who would be able help their family. The problems just kept coming when Liz's nanny, the only person who really loved her besides Maria and Alex, died. And that's when I met Liz. She ran into the stables crying so horribly that I couldn't handle it. I just needed to make her feel better, even though I didn't even know her." Max smiled fondly at the memory. "Anyway, Liz's parents decided to set up another marriage and that's when we ran. Alex, Maria and Isabel all helped us get everything and that's how we got here." Max said, finishing up his story. He looked up at his parents, and noticed his mother sobbing softly against Phillip. He walked  
over to her and hugged her. "We're okay, Mom. We couldn't be more happier with you two near us and having Matthew and Arianna. This is the perfect life for us. Don't worry."  
" I know Max, but I just wish there was something I could do." Diane answered.  
"There is." The three of them turned around to see Liz walking out of her and Max's room. Max stood up, ready to go help Liz but she waved him off. She walked over and sat next to Max, but ended up in his lap because he pulled her closer.  
"What would you like us to do?" Diane asked.  
Liz pulled in a deep breath, "I would like you guys to come with Max, the kids and I. I need to go back to my parents and talk to them." Liz felt Max hold her tighter and she turned to him. "Max, I know you don't want to go back, I don't either exactly, but I need to get them off of our backs. I need to know what they will leave our kids alone and that we can finally live a normal life without them following us. I need this Max." Liz saw him nod and hugged him. She turned back to Diane and Phillip, "Will you guys come with me, please? I need parents that I can count on." Diane and Phillip nodded and they all came in for a group hug. 


End file.
